Expendable dual-purpose rocket launcher shipping container



Dec- 12, 1967 G. w. CLUTZ ETAL EXPENDABLE DUAL-PURPOSE ROCKET LAUNCHER SHlPPING CONTAINER Filed Dec. 15, 1965 I5 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.2

-13 Lan Mm M 5| INVENTORI Gar/0nd M. Glut: Louis Garono 1967 G. w. CLUTZ ETAL 3,

EXPENDABLB DUAL-PURPOSE ROCKET LAUNCHER SHlPPING CONTAINER Filed Dec. 15, 1965 3 Sheets-5heet 2 Fig.4

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F} 8 INVENTORY ,/7 45 far/00g Clufz ouis aron ii, 1, '1 "Wm BY W a W M )3 ATTORNEYS 1967 G. w. CLUTZ ETAL 335172305 PURPOSE ROCKET LAUNCHER SHIPPING CONTAINER EXPENDABLE DUAL 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 15, 1965 INVENTORJ I Gar/and W. C/ufz Louis E. Garo ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,357,305 EXPENDABLE DUAL-PURPOSE ROCKET LAUNCHER SHIPPING CONTAINER Garland W. Clutz, Baltimore, and Louis E. Garono, Aberdeen, Md., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Dec. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 514,438

6 Claims. (Cl. 89-1.815)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An expendable rocket transporting device functioning as a rocket launching system comprising: top and bottom saddles having concave, successive grooves along their interior surfaces and inner saddle having similar concave, successive grooves directly opposite other on its interior and exterior surfaces, layers of launching tubes being the rocket transporting tubes containing a rocket communicating with the grooves in the said saddles, means for attaching adjustable parallel front elevator supports and means for shackling the said front elevator supports to their adjacent skids, said front elevator supports being in terconnected at their terrestrial-engaging ends and in between the asid supports directly on top of the launcher by transversely extending cross members, means for securing the cross members, means for securing the cross members to the said supports, and means for obliquely mooring said front elevation supports.

This invention relates generally to the field of shipping containers and is more specifically directed to a shipping container rocket launcher for use in connection with projectile launching systems. This missile or rocket handling device is allied more particularly to a new and improved multiple transporting and launching combination in which the rockets can be transported to any area which is considered a firing location and thereafter fired.

As the development of ballistic and guided missiles, rockets and the like has become increasingly significant, the importance of the ground support equipment utilized to transport and to launch these projectiles has increased.

A known type of apparatus for storing and firing a plurality of rockets comprises a plurality of tubes extending in a parallel, annular or rectangular, metallic nest, each tube containing a rocket and serving to guide it over an initial part of its trajectory, and means for releasing the rockets from the tubes in a predetermined sequence. These previously developed systems have suffered from a number of disadvantages, namely, dismounting the launcher into its component parts for replacement of defective components which may be damaged from enemy fire or damaged in transportation. In most instances when the launcher becomes inoperable it has to be discarded. Also, .these systems are relatively high in cost per unit, a great weight is associated with the mechanical metallic structure to support the objects such as rockets and the accompanying size of the structure. These systems have made access for purposes of maintenance and checkout to the projectiles contained therein a distinct problem. Furthermore, such systems have usually required special guidance and support apparatus between the projectile and containing tube, which apparatus often causes complications and malfunctions.

It is an object of this invention to provide a multiple rocket storing, transporting and launching device.

It is an object of this invention to provide a transporting and launching device which will be of simplified construction, less expensive and one that will be safe and reliable in operation especially in regards to the firing 0f the rockets.

An additional object of our invention is to provide such a system which incorporates a significant saving in space together with a material reduction in cost.

It is an object of this invention to provide a nailless transporting and launching device which can be used to logistically transport and strategically launch projectiles and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide an expendable or disposable multiple rocket transporting and launching device.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those familiar with the art as the invention is more fully described hereinbelow in connection with the illustrative drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an open shipping container rocket launcher having front elevation supports.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a side member.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an inner saddle.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a series of open shipping container rocket launchers in normal firing position having front elevation supports.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a front elevational support.

FIGURE -6 is a perspective view of a skid having rubbing strips attached thereto.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the front and rear top saddle having stacking strips for the prevention of side movement of stacked devices. The inbetween top saddles have no stacking strips.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a cross member having a channel iron secured on each end.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of an open shipping container rocket launcher ready for transportation and/ or storage.

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of a partial assembly of an open shipping container rocket launcher.

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a skid base with bottom transverse saddles and strapping.

The invention of a nailless, wooden, shipping container rocket launcher device as generally shown in FIGURE 1 comprises in combination a pair of skids 1 with rubbing strips 3; a number of transverse frame structures known as bottom saddles 5, inner saddles 7 and top saddles 9 having stacking strips and top saddles 10 without the strips; long dimensional side members 11; packaging, fiberglass launching tubes 13; front elevation supports 15; cross members 17; metal bar 19; chains 21 and vertical strapping 23.

The same numbers will be used throughout all the figures thus representing the same members of the shipping container rocket launcher.

According to the invention in referring to FIGURES 1 through 11, each bottom saddle 5 is fastened to each skid 1 by being placed in a slot 27 and bolted 29 together FIG- URES 1, 6, and 11. A launching tube 13 accommodating a rocket serves as a packaging container and a launching tube. The launching tubes 13 are positioned in parallel, concave grooves 31 (FIGURE 11) ofthe bottom saddles 5. A pair of long dimensional side members 11 having notches 33 directly opposite each other FIGURE 2 and so spaced that the notches 33 communicate with the top ends 35 of the bottom saddles 5. The inner saddles 7 (FIGURE 3) having similar, parallel, concave grooves 37 are positioned as shown in FIGURE 10 on top of the lower long dimensional side members 11 engaging the notches 33 and the lower layer of launching tubes 13 (FIGURE 10). This building up procedure is continued until the desired amount of launching tubes 13, side members 11 and innei saddles 7 are in position for the designated designed shipping container rocket launcher as generally shown in FIG- URES 1, 9, and 10. The front and rear top saddles 9 as generally shown in FIGURE 7 having stacking strips 39 and the other top saddles 10 without the stacking strips 39 are positioned in place over the top layer of launching tubes 13 and communicating with the launching tubes 13, FIGURES 1 and 9. The vertical metal straps 23 which are fastened in each skid notch 27 beneath the bottom saddles (FIGURE 11) are extended up the respective sides of the device meeting each other in the middle of the top saddles 9 and (FIGURE 9) drawn tight and joined together with a strapping tool.

In normal firing operations or firing position as generally shown in FIGURE 1, the front elevation supports fabricated from 3 by 3 inch wood (detailed in FIGURE 5) are attached to the skids 1 by means of a steel bar 19 threaded at both ends and which passes through the front supports 15, both front ends of the skids 1, approximately 28 inches from the front and through the hole 41 (FIG- URE 6) and secured thereon by means of a lock washer and nut at both ends of the bar 19. There are two cross members 17 (FIGURE 8) for the front elevation supports 15 fabricated from 3 by 3 inch wood. One cross member 17 is attached between the terrestrial engaging support ends 43 and the second cross member 17 is attached between the front supports 15 on top of the device as generally shown in FIGURE 1. The cross members 17 have a piece of three inch channel iron 45 (FIGURE 8) attached to each end and are fastened to the front elevational supports 15 by means of assembly bolts 44. The terrestrial end 43 of the front elevation supports 15 and the rear portion of the skids 1 are fastened together by means of a chain, rope or any other appropriate fastening 21 as generally shown at FIGURES 1 and 4. These fastening means 21 also function as a means to elevate and lower the firing angle of the crate by increasing or decreasing the fastening means 21 length between the front elevation supports 15 and the rear portion of the skids 1. A metal plate may be fastened to each of the front sides of the front elevation supports 15 at its lower extremity lending support for the fastening means 21. The shipping container launching device may be shackled in its firing position FIGURE 1 by means of oblique tie down cables or ropes 47 attached to a clevis in an eyebolt 49 located at the front end of each skid 1. The tie down cable or rope 47 is looped over stakes or attached to airplane mooring rods in the ground and may be drawn tight by means of turnbuckles.

Two or more transporting and launching devices may be secured together in a normal firing position as shown in FIGURE 4. The devices are fastened together by means of a steel bar 51 threaded at both ends which passes through the front elevational supports 15 as generally shown in FIGURE 4 and secured by means of a heavy round washer and hexagonal nut at the bars extremities 55. The transporting launching devices have only front elevation supports 15 whereby the rear portion of each of the skids 1 communicates with the terrain. There are two cross members 17 attached between each pair of front elevation supports 15. One cross member 17 is attached between the terrestrial ground engaging support ends 43 and the second cross member 17 is attached between the front supports 15 which extend up the sides beyond the top of the shipping device and directly on top of each shipping device as shown at FIGURES 1 and 4. Each of the front elevation supports 15 are fastened to the rear portion of each corresponding skid 1 by means of a chain, rope or any other appropriate fastening 21 as shown at FIGURE 4. The group of launching devices may be shackled additionally in their firing position FIGURE 4 by means of oblique tiedown cables or ropes 47 attached to a clevis in each eyebolt 49 at the front end of the two exterior skids 1 of the end launching devices then looped over stakes or attached to airplane mooring rods in the ground and may be drawn tight by turnbuckles as shown in FIGURE 1.

During the shipment or storage of the shipping container launching device as generally shown in FIGURE 9, the front elevational supports 15, the steel bars 19 and 51, the cross members 17 and the chains 21 are fastened beneath the shipping device between the skids 1 by any suitable means. A cleated plywood end member 53 or any other suitable end member functioning as a protective means for the launching tubes is positioned at each end of the shipping device FIGURE 9 and held in place by means of horizontal strapping 25 as generally shown at FIGURE 9. The purpose of the stacking strips 39 (FIGURE 7) on the two top end saddles 9 is to prevent the sideways movement of other shipping devices when stacked upon each other in shipment or storage.

It is noted that a limited number of materials may be used for the invention, the inventors have successfully reduced the invention to practice using said limited number of materials. It is preferred that most of the materials used in the construction of the instant shipping container launching device conform to Government specifications. For instance the lumber used for this invention may conform to Group II, III, or IV lumber, Specification Mil- C104, except that the wood shall be Grade B and better, Wood Handbook, U.S. Department of Agriculture. The metal bar may conform to a steel bar, carbon, cold finished, round, steel No. C1010 to C1020, nominal diameter (Spec. QQ-S-633). The hexagonal nuts may conform to Spec. FFB571 and the flat steel round washers to Spec. FF-W-92. Depending upon design considerations, other materials would be equally acceptable.

It is noted that one of the features of the invention resides in the fact that it is not necessary to provide a large, heavy and expensive steel or other metallic tubular member to support the projectile. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the use of a transporting and launching device according to this invention eliminates the necessity of special handling to transfer the projectile from the transporting device to a launching device and provides a unitary system to perform the entire handling and launching functions.

It is further noted that the shape of the nail-free shipping container rocket launcher may be a round cylinder or oblong in nature.

It is a feature of the invention that it provides vibration and shock resistant support to a relatively delicate projectile while maintaining the projectile in a horizontal and/ or elevated position.

Another feature of this invention resides in the fact that it is not necessary to provide guide shoes around the projectile contained within a tube or the like. Consequently, upon launch, these shoes which are not, of course, connected to the projectile do not fall back upon the launching system giving rise to obvious difliculties.

Additionally, there are no close manufacturing tolerance requirements which consequently allow faster fabrication, lower costs and handling care.

The aiming device and firing device are already in the field as parts of a standard launcher. For example, an aiming device known as gunners quadrant as disclosed on page 59 of the Department of the Army Technical Manual (TM92008) may be employed. Moreover, aiming stakes can be employed. In order to fire the rockets, firing current is applied in a predetermined sequence to the respective projectiles, such as in the manner as suggested in Patent No. 3,088,373. Another means of firing the rockets is accomplished by employing the stepping switch and firing devices of the M91 Launcher disclosed in the Department of the Army Technical Manual (TM9 1055215ESC).

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it will be realized that various modifications of the structural details may be made without departing from the mode of operation and the essence of the invention. Therefore, except insofar as they are claimed in the appended claims, structural details may be varied widely without modifying the mode of operation. The invention is to be given the broadest interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

We claim:

1. An expendable shipping container rocket launcher comprising in combination:

(a) an open expendable wooden rectangular shipping container having equally spaced top, bottom and interior saddles, skids and adjustable front elevation supports,

(b) said saddles being horizontally perpendicular to the long dimsensional side members of said shipping container and means to retain said saddles in position,

(c) said top and bottom saddles having similar, concave, successive, grooves along their interior surface and extending from end to end,

((1) said inner saddles having similar, concave, successive, grooves directly opposite each other on both top and bottom surfaces and extending from end to end,

(e) layers of parallel rocket packaging tubes communicating with said concave grooves of said saddles,

(f) said packaging tubes containing said individual rockets,

(g) said packaging tubes performing as individual launching tubes, 7

(h) means for attaching said adjustable parallel front elevation supports to the skids of said shipping container,

(i) said front elevation supports being interconnected at their terrestrial-engaging ends and in between the section of said supports directly on top of the launcher by transversely extending cross members,

(j) means of securing said cross members to said supports,

(k) means for shackling each of said front elevation supports to the rear portion of each skid during the launching of said rockets,

(1) means for obliquely mooring said front elevation supports.

2. An expendable open shipping container rocket launcher as set forth in claim 1 with the addition that:

(a) two of said shipping containers are positioned side by side,

(b) means for shackling together said front elevation supports of both said shipping containers.

3. An expendable open shipping container rocket launcher as set forth in claim 1 with the addition that:

(a) three of said shipping containers are positioned side by side,

(b) means for shackling together said front elevation supports of all three said shipping containers.

4. An expendable open shipping container rocket launcher comprising in combination:

(a) an open expendable wooden rectangular shipping container having equally spaced top, bottom and interior saddles, skids and adjustable front elevation supports,

(b) said saddles being horizontally perpendicular to the long dimensional side members of said shipping container and means to retain said saddles in position,

(c) said top and bottom saddles having similar, concave, successive, grooves along their interior surface and extending from end to end,

(d) said inner saddles having similar, concave, succes sive, grooves directly opposite each other on both top and bottom surfaces and extending from end to end,

(e) layers of parallel rocket packaging tubes communicating with said concave grooves of said saddles,

(f) said packaging tubes accommodating said individual rockets,

(g) said packaging tubes performing as individual launching tubes,

(h) means for attaching said adjustable parallel front elevation supports to the skids of said shipping container,

(i) said front elevation supports being interconnected at their terrestrial-engaging ends and approximately in the mid section of said supports directly above Zaid container by transversely extending cross memers,

(j) means of securing said cross members to said supports,

(k) each of said skids of said shipping container having their rear base edge communicating with the terrain,

(1) means for obliquely mooring said front elevation supports.

5. An expendable open shipping container rocket launcher as set forth in claim 4 with the addition that:

(a) two of said shipping containers are positioned side by side,

(b) means of shackling said front elevation supports together.

6. An expendable open shipping container rocket launcher as set forth in claim 4 with the addition that:

(a) three of said shipping containers are positioned side by side,

(b) means for shackling together said front elevation supports of all three said shipping containers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,766,660 10/1956 Laddon et a1. 89-l.5 2,800,836 7/1957 Meinel 89--l.8l5 2,961,927 11/1960 DuFour 891.8l6 2,972,933 2/1961 Guthrie et al 891.817

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN EXPANDABLE SHIPPING CONTAINER ROCKET LAUNCHER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) AN OPEN EXPENDABLE WOODEN RECTANGULAR SHIPPING CONTAINER HAVING EQUALLY SPACED TOP, BOTTOM AND INTERIOR SADDLES, SKIDS AND ADJUSTABLE FRONT ELEVATION SUPPORTS, (B) SAID SADDLES BEING HORIZONTALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONG DIMENSIONAL SIDE MEMBERS OF SAID SHIPPING CONTAINER AND MEANS TO RETAIN SAID SADDLES IN POSITION, (C) SAID TOP AND BOTTOM SADDLES HAVING SIMILAR, CONCAVE, SUCCESSIVE, GROOVES ALONG THEIR INTERIOR SURFACE AND EXTENDING FROM END TO END, (D) SAID INNER SADDLES HAVING SIMILAR, CONCAVE, SUCCESSIVE, GROOVES DIRECTLY OPPOSITE EACH OTHER ON BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES AND EXTENDING FROM END TO END, (E) LAYERS OF PARALLEL ROCKET PACKAGING TUBES COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CONCAVE GROOVES OF SAID SADDLES, (F) SAID PACKAGING TUBES CONTAINING SAID INDIVIDUAL ROCKETS, (G) SAID PACKAGING TUBES PERFORMING AS INDIVIDUAL LAUNCHING TUBES, (H) MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID ADJUSTABLE PARALLEL FRONT ELEVATION SUPPORTS TO THE SKIDS OF SAID SHIPPING CONTAINER, (I) SAID FRONT ELEVATION SUPPORTS BEING INTERCONNECTED AT THEIR TERRESTRIAL-ENGAGING ENDS AND IN BETWEEN THE SECTION OF SAID SUPPORTS DIRECTLY ON TOP OF THE LAUNCHER BY TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING CROSS MEMBERS, (J) MEANS OF SECURING SAID CROSS MEMBERS TO SAID SUPPORTS, (K) MEANS FOR SHACKLING EACH OF SAID FRONT ELEVATION SUPPORTS TO THE REAR PORTION OF EACH SKID DURING THE LAUNCHING OF SAID ROCKETS, (1) MEANS FOR OBLIQUELY MOORING SAID FRONT ELEATION SUPPORTS. 